This invention relates to a bearing assembly and more particularly to elastomeric journal bearing assemblies which are adapted for use in supporting marine propeller shafts. Elastomeric journal bearings have been found to be particularly suited for this purpose because of their exceptional ability to withstand the effects of corrosive fluids and to abrasion resulting from bits of foreign materials which are carried in suspension in the sea water or other liquids in which the shaft and journal bearing assembly operates. Such elastomeric journal bearing assemblies have been made and are still being made with rigid metallic non-corrosive support members but the materials are more expensive and the manufacturing costs are higher. A further advantage of the elastomeric journal bearings is that since they operate in a liquid medium they are self lubricated and therefore highly desirable for marine use as for the stern propeller shaft journals.
The present invention is directed to a novel bearing assembly utilizing a novel outer shell and inner shell composed of replaceable staves wherein the integral assembly provides a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially inwardly extending projections that provides support for a rotating shaft in water. The invention employs a flat molding process that is combined with a winding process whereby a fiberglass reinforced rubber or elastomeric shell is further supported by a fiberglass reinforced plastic which provides a rigid outer housing for the inner flexible spaced removeable staves or bearing elements. A unique advantage of this invention is that the removeable staves are used in building the rigid housing assuring exact fitting in an economical manner. In this manufacturing process the rigid outer shell is machined to a precise outer diameter. Additional layers of fiberglass reinforced plastic can be molded onto the outer shell while maintaining the same diameter with its replaceable staves. The bearing assembly is simple in construction and can provide means for quickly repairing a bearing assembly while permitting the accurate sizing of the outer diameter without the use of expensive molding processes.